Invalid&#39;s leg rest



June 159 J' J' Bl-Iss v INVALID'S LEG REST Filed Jan. e. 1964` INVENTOR United States Patent O 3,189,384 INVALIDS LEG REST Jerome I. Bliss, Minneapolis, Minn., assigner to Metal- Matic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Jan. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 335,907 6 Claims. (Cl. 297-427) This invention relates generally to invalide leg rests, and pertains more particularly to a leg rest for wheel chairs.

It is now common practice to provide wheel chairs with foot rests that can be adjusted to various elevations, usually by pivoting the foot rests support through a vertical angle of approximately 90 degrees to achieve the two extreme locations of the foot rests. As the foot rest reaches its uppermost position, that is, a position in which it is substantially horizontal, the need for a leg rest becomes increasingly more pronounced. Even in various intermediate positions of the foot rests, there is a real need for the presence of a leg rest in order to enhance the comfort of the user.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a leg rest that will be exceedingly comfortable to the user. In this regard, it is envisaged that a leg rest be provided which is capable of being rocked into various angular positions so as to accommodate the persons leg irrespective of the angularity of the foot rest and also irrespective of the angularity of the persons leg relative to the foot rest. More speciically, it is an aim of the invention to provide a resiliently mounted leg rest which will readily assume a position most suitable for the particular position in which the users leg is placed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resiliently mounted leg rest that will normally assume a given position but which can be deflected into a more appropriate angular position with a minimum amount of pressure being applied thereto. Consequently, when the leg rest is in its normal position, it is held so by the resilient mounting means so that it does not move or shift when not supporting a persons leg. Hence, when a wheel chair which is equipped with my invention is moved from place to place, there will be no tendency for the leg rest to ilop about and cause objectionable noise.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resiliently mounted foot rest that will provide progressive resistance to deection as the foot rest is shifted through a greater angle.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a foot rest that can be fabricated at a relatively low cost, thereby encouraging its widespread use, particularly where wheel chairs are concerned and reduced manufacturing costs are important.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of my foot rest installed on a wheel chair, only a portion of the wheel chair being depicted;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational View of two leg rests constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken generally in the direction of line 3--3 of FIGURE l, and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction of line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 for the purpose of showing the resilient mounting to better advantage.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, it will be perceived that a wheel chair of conventional construction 3,189,334 Patented .lune 15, 1965 ice has been generally denoted by the reference numeral 10. The wheel chair 10 includes upper and lower tubular sockets 12, 14 at each side for the purpose of holding a pair of foot and leg rest assemblages generally denoted by the reference numeral 16. Each foot and leg rest assemblage 16 includes a pair of tubular pins 18, 20 which can be snapped into the sockets 12, 14 for the releasable retention of the particular assemblage 16 to the wheel chair 10.

It will be observed that each foot and leg rest assemblage 16 further includes an L-shaped bracket 22 which is integrally connected to the tubular pins 18, 20 and is maintained in a substantially vertical position when the pins 18, 2t) are inserted and held within the sockets 12, 14. Each assemblage 16 further comprises a tubular foot and leg rest support 24 having a pivot pin 26 at its upper end which pivotally connects the support 24 to the L-shaped bracket 22.

Still further, although not constituting a part of the present invention, a clamping mechanism 28 is associated with each foot and leg rest assemblage 16. The clamping mechanism 28 merely holds the foot and leg rest assemblage 16 in any adjusted angular position ranging from substantially a vertical position to substantially a horizontal position. In other Words, each foot and leg rest assemblage 16 is pivotally supported so that it can be moved into any preferred angular position within :substantially a degree angle.

At the lower end of the support 24 is a foot rest member 30 which extends laterally inwardly. The two foot rest members 30, there being one on each assemblage 16, are clearly visible in FIGURE 2.

The present invention involves the use of a leg rest unit 32 which is mounted to the support 24 in each instance. More specifically, each unit 32 includes a laterally extending arm 34 in the form of a relatively thin metallic strip. The strip 34 has a curved end 36 and by means of an anchoring bolt 38 the arm is held in place with respect to the support 24. For a purpose presently to be made manifest, each arm 34 is formed with a pair of slots 40.

These slots have their longer axis extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the arm 34. One such slot is visible in FIGURE 4.

The slots 40 permit the accommodation of a pair of upstanding threaded studs or bolts 42, there being, a pair associated with each leg rest unit 32. Each stud or bolt 42 has an enlarged head at 44, a shank portion 46, and a nut 48. Obviously, these studs or bolts 42 can assume different configurations and in one form the head can be a thin flange so that no recessing is necessary in order to receive the head.

Consideration is now given to an elongated leg rest member 50 of wood or plastic material having an arcuate appearance when viewed from one end (see FIGURE 3). As can be discerned from FIGURE 4, the leg rest member 50 is recessed for the accommodation of the head 44 of each stud or bolt 42, but as indicated above, the head can be in the form of a relatively thin flange so that no recess is required.

Between the leg rest member 50 and the arm 34 are two tubular rubber elements 52. These tubular rubber elements encircle the shank portions 46 of the studs or bolts. Owing to the compressibility or resiliency of the rubber elements, the leg rest member 50 is free to rock into various angular positions, one such angular position being pictured in phantom outline in FIGURE 4. All that is required to do this is a shifting of the persons weight on his leg and the leg rest unit 32 readily accommodates such shift.

For added comfort, each leg rest unit 32 has a foarned rubber padding 54 overlying the upper arcuate surface el? of the rest member Sii. Suitable covering material or fabric 56 can completely enclose the rubber padding 44 and the underside of the rest member 50.

Due to the vdetailed description that has been given, it is believed obvious that the benefits of my leg rest can be appreciated. The studs or bolts 42 have an inherent degree of resiliency which permits them to be defiected. Coupled with the resiliency of the tubular rubber elements 52, it will be recognized that the leg rest member 50 in each instance tends to assume a nor-mal position such as that shown in solid outline in the various views constituting the drawing. However, the user can readily deflect the rest member Si) into various angular positions,

one angular position most comfortable to the user being automatically realized. Stated `somewhat differently, Ithe vleg rest member 50, owing to the resilient manner in essary. Irrespective of the angular position of either foot and leg rest assemblage 16, though, it will be understood and appreciated that the leg rest member 50 will accommodate the users leg and will shift or rock into whatever "angular position is best suited for that person and the particular position in which his leg is to be maintained.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and `proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A leg rest vfor Wheel chairs comprising:

(a) a support member adapted to be connected to a wheel chair;

(b) a laterally extending foot rest carried at one end `of said support member;

(c) an arm connected to said support member intermediate its ends and in a spaced relation with respect to said foot rest;

(d) a pair of upstanding stud elements attached at their ylower ends to said arm and in general alignment with the axis of said arm; leg may be placed attached to the upper ends of said (e) an elongated member against which a persons stud elements Vand extending generally perpendicularly to said arm, and

(f) a pair of tubular resilient elements between said elongated member and said arm, each of said tubular Yelements being in an encircling relationship with one of said stud elements.

2. A leg rest in accordance with claim 1 in which:

(a) said arm is in the form of a flat strip,

(b) said strip having a pair of slots therein for accommodation of shank portions of said stud elements.

3. A leg rest for wheel chairs comprising:

(a) a support member adapted to be connected to a wheel chair;

(b) a laterally extending foot rest carried at one end of said support member;

(c) an elongated arm connected at one end to said support member intermediate its ends and in a spaced relation with respect to said foot rest;

(d) a pair of upstanding coupling means having one end portion attached to said elongated arm and being in general alignment with the axis of said elongated arm;

(e) an elongated leg supporting member, against which a persons leg may be placed, attached to the opposite end portion of said coupling means and extending generally perpendicular Vto said elongated arm, and

(f) a pair of tubular resilient elements between said elongated member and said arm, each of said tubular elements being in an encircling relationship with one `of said coupling means.

4. A leg rest for wheel chairs as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that:

(a) said elongated arm is in the form of a dat strip;

and

(b) said strip having a pair of Slots along the longitudinal axis thereof for accommodation of shank portions of said coupling means.

5. A leg rest for wheel chairs as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that:

(a) said elongated leg supporting member has a longitudinal and a transverse axis, and wherein said coupling means join said elongated arm to said elongated leg supporting members substantially along said transverse axis.

4 6. A leg rest for wheel chairs as defined in claim 5 being particularly characterized in that:

(a) said coupling means join saidV elongated arm to said elongated leg supporting member at a pair of spaced points, said spaced points being in substan- 45 tially equally and oppositely disposed relationship to the longitudinal axis of said elongated leg supporting member.

References Cited by the Examiner 50 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,520,309 8/50 Everest et al. 297-433 2,649,136 8/53 Eames 297-285 3,133,765 5/ 64 'Kramer 2.9 7--445 55 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primm-y Examiner. 

1. A LEG REST FOR WHEEL CHAIRS COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORT MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A WHEEL CHAIR; (B) A LATERALLY EXTENDING FOOT REST CARRIED AT ONE END OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER; (C) AN ARM CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER INTERMEDIATE ITS END AND IN A SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FOOT REST; (D) A PAIR OF UPSTANDING STUD ELEMENTS ATTACHED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO SAID ARM AND IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF SAID ARM; 